


Loving Every Minute of It

by lokit5083



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Cheating, Courfeyrac cheering, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 01:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10934229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokit5083/pseuds/lokit5083
Summary: The wedding rehearsal had been run through without a problem, leaving all involved in high spirits as they gathered into the dining room where they would celebrate the success and coming marriage with dinner. No one had the mind to think that there were four smiles at the table that were less than genuine.





	Loving Every Minute of It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wandasmaximoffs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wandasmaximoffs/gifts).



> For Rin ❤️

The wedding rehearsal had been run through without a problem, leaving all involved in high spirits as they gathered into the dining room where they would celebrate the success and coming marriage with dinner. No one had the mind to think that there were four smiles at the table that were less than genuine.  
Two of these smiles were worn on the faces of Enjolras and Cosette, for whom the rehearsal was for. It was to be a wedding of convenience, one that had been planned since the two were children. While not directly in line for any sort of throne, the two were of high enough status that an arranged marriage could be beneficial to all involved. Less so, however, for the two to be wed.  
It was no secret between them that neither held any romantic feelings for the other. It had been known by both since they were young that the marriage would not be one for love, but neither Enjorlas nor Cosette wished to disappoint their parents by breaking it off. Besides, neither disliked the other, so it could have been worse. And, for a while, it worked. For a while, everything went smoothly. Then it didn’t.

He hadn’t meant for anything to happen. Sure, he’d had feelings for Grantaire, his fiancée’s pseudo-adoptive brother, for as long as he could remember, but he’d been smoothing them down nicely for just as long. He’d understood that he’d had an important commitment, so he kept quiet about it, aside from the occasional lamenting to Combeferre or Courfeyrac.

(Courfeyrac, always one to enjoy a romantic tragedy, had been sympathetic, but Combeferre had never understood why he didn't act for his own happiness.)

But, years passed, and the feelings didn't fade. If anything, they grew, but they were smothered as much as ever. Enjolras didn't allow himself to spend much time pining, and everything was manageable. And then Grantaire kissed him.

At some party or another, Enjolras had stepped out to a balcony to get a moment of fresh air. As social as he was, even he occasionally needed to step back. If, deep down, he was looking for Grantaire, it wasn't something he would admit to himself. It didn't matter, though, because he’d found him anyway, leaning against the railing and looking out into the night.  
“I’m sorry,” Enjolras had said, stepping back in a motion to go back inside, “I can leave you alone, if you’d prefer.”  
“No,” Grantaire had replied, flashing a smile and waving him over, “come, stand, who am I to deny royalty?”  
“You know,” Enjolras had said, stepping over and copying his stance against the railing, “by calling yourself Cosette’s brother, that makes you royalty, too.”  
“Yeah,” Grantaire had shrugged, “but we both know I’m not.”  
Enjolras had shrugged in return. It was true, of course. Where blood was concerned, Grantaire wasn’t royal. Or maybe he was, he remembered thinking, he didn’t really know much about Grantaire’s family.

It had started perfectly tame, aside from the unspoken feelings that hung in the air like mosquitos, buzzing around Enjolras and demanding his attention. But he ignored them, choosing instead to enjoy the moment for what it was.  
They had talked and laughed until, quite suddenly, Grantaire had his lips pressed against Enjolras’.  
It was everything he had thought it would be and more. A voice in his head screamed that it was wrong, that he shouldn’t be doing this, but he ignored it, for a minute, until it grew too loud to ignore.  
He pulled away, “We can’t.”

But they did. Again and again, they did everything they shouldn’t, all while keeping their forming relationship a secret from everyone. It was the cause of most arguments the two had, but at the end of the day, Grantaire understood. He didn’t want to hurt Enjolras’ reputation any more than Enjolras did, even if Grantaire was occasionally prone to jealousy, and Enjolras to inner turmoil.  
Cosette was at the center of Enjolras’ worries, and those worries carried with them a large amount of guilt. He shouldn’t be sleeping with anyone, much less his fiancée’s brother. But he was, and more than that, he was falling in love with him. He knew he shouldn’t have been keeping it a secret, that Cosette would understand, but he couldn’t make himself tell her.  
Soon enough, though, that didn’t matter. It was bound to happen eventually, if they kept sneaking around, but Enjolras had hoped it wouldn’t. That didn’t do much good, because Cosette found out anyway. She was upset, of course; it hadn’t been fair to her that Enjolras had broken his promise without relieving her of hers. The three of them fought, and it ended with each of them keeping away from the others, anger and uncertainty tainting the air.  
Once they cooled down, however, they talked again, and Cosette gave them her blessing. Still, the relationship was kept between the three of them.

Then Cosette met Marius, she fell in love. She let them into their secret, and he learned to live with it.  
With Cosette and Grantaire’s relationship, along with Cosette’s connection to Enjolras, they were able to find a solution to the problem, where they lived together and no one suspected anything. Surely, no one would question an engaged couple allowing the bride-to-be’s brother to stay with them. That became difficult, though, when Marius came along, but it was decided that it would be said that he was a cousin of Enjolras’, whom they had invited to stay with them. Outside, they did as they were expected to, but they were happy with the secrets of their privacy.  
But as they always knew it would, the happiness came to an end. The day of Cosette and Enjolras’ wedding was approaching, and if that wasn't enough, Cosette found she was pregnant. They couldn't continue as they had, they knew that.  
On the morning of the wedding rehearsal, the four had sat down to have the long overdue discussion of how this was to be handled. They had kept their secrets long enough, but it had to change, now. It wouldn't be fair to anyone, especially Cosette and the baby, to keep up the act into marriage. For better or for worse, it had to end before the wedding, so everyone could be free.

So in they walked, after the rehearsal, each filled with secrets that would be public by the night’s end.  
They sat together, surrounded by bits of their friends and family, most of which didn’t know there were any secrets to tell. The room filled with pleasant chatter while people ordered their food, and it almost hurt Enjolras to know they would soon ruin it. He wanted to do this, of course, but he'd kept it a secret for so long to avoid disappointing his family. He'd always enjoyed praise, and while he always knew he couldn't please everyone, it was different when it came to his family. He didn't care what the public thought, but his family was different. Their opinions mattered to him.  
It didn’t matter, though. He’d made his choice, and he doubted any of the others were very pleased at the idea of disappointing the ones they loved, either, but they couldn’t turn back, now.  
And so it began.  
“You _slept_ with my _brother_!”  
The room fell silent, and all eyes fell on Cosette, who was now standing and looking down at Enjolras with all the hurt she could muster. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. This was a certainty, and now Enjolras was going down with it. That was how he had wanted it, though. He’d caused this all in the first place, it was the least he could do to take the fall with it now.  
“I don't think now is—” Enjolras began, but Cosette cut him off.  
“Now is the _perfect_ time for this!”  
“Fine,” Enjolras said, slamming his hands on the table and pushing his chair back so he, too, could stand. “Fine. Let's do this now, so everyone can see! Yes, I slept with him,” at that, gasps were heard from the crowd, along with one cheer from Courfeyrac. “What more do you want to hear? That I'm sorry? Well, I'm not. Not for being with him, anyway. We both know I never loved you, Cosette. But I do love him.”  
Again, gasps and whispers broke out among the crowd, but Enjolras didn't care. For the first time since he was young, he began to feel the weight of it all lifting from his shoulders.  
“I can't marry you, Cosette. I won't. For once, I’m going to put myself first, and I don't care what anyone thinks.” Then, he paused. “Now,” he said, turning to look at Grantaire, “if we’re going for the dramatics…”  
He reached out and grabbed Grantaire’s hand, using it to yank him from his chair into a standing position, where he kissed him, hands moving to rest on his cheeks.  
He could hear the anger around them, almost feel it against his back, but it didn't matter to him. He was happy, and he was free. Free to do whatever he liked. Courfeyrac was cheering again.  
“Marry me.”  
The words came as a whisper as Enjolras looked into Grantaire’s eyes, which widened with shock. That hadn’t been a part of the plan.  
“What…Enjolras…” he managed to get out, voice unsure.  
“Marry me,” Enjolras repeated, louder, now, “tomorrow. Why let it go to waste? I want to marry you, Grantaire, and I can't wait another day.”  
For a moment, there was silence, from both Grantaire and those surrounding him. He’d spoken loud enough for others to hear, and the room had fallen quiet in the same shock.  
“I…” Grantaire began before pausing, “okay.” He smiled. “Okay, yes, you crazy man, I will.”  
And with that, they kissed. Once again the room filled with protest and anger, aside from the shouts and applause coming from the spot where Courfeyrac and Combeferre sat.

Enjolras, in his bliss, didn't hear a thing.

**Author's Note:**

> based on convo w wandasmaximoffs  
> find me on tumblr @enjamras  
> title from panic! at the disco


End file.
